The invention relates to a tripod joint and, more particularly, to a tripod joint with an outer joint part having an annular housing and roller track elements made of plate metal. The tripod inner joint part has a tripod member provided with rollers guided in roller tracks formed by the roller track elements.
Tripod joints like that disclosed in DE 38 34 441 A1 are used in driveshafts of front wheel drive vehicles. These relevant art tripod joints have relatively high mass and require relatively complicated production processes. To provide a tripod joint with damping properties, FR 2 629 157 A1 proposes an outer joint part with an annular housing which is made of a fiber composite material. Roller track elements are molded into the annular housing by using a plastic filler material. It is not proposed to provide a firm connection between the annular housing with the roller track elements and the joint journal which is capable of withstanding high torque loads. The plastic filler material is sensitive to high temperatures. This design requires relatively complicated production processes, especially long production times and production sequences which are difficult to automate.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a reduced weight tripod joint whose functional safety is secure and which can be produced easily and cost-effectively. The objective is achieved by directly non-releasably connecting the longitudinal edges of the roller track elements with the annular housing.
Thus, it is possible to provide a tripod joint whose annular housing and roller track elements are designed as formed plate metal parts. These parts are fabricated by relatively simple production methods and can be connected to each other in a material-locking way. In the case of plunging joints, the roller track elements are designed as profiles with identical cross sections. In the case of a fixed joint, the roller track elements are produced with indentations for curved roller tracks. In a practical embodiment of the invention, the roller track elements are welded to the annular housing. Preferably, the roller track elements are connected to the tripod housing by laser welding.
To connect such a rotary joint to a shaft journal it is proposed that the annular housing, at the end positioned opposite the housing aperture, includes a radially inwardly decreasing cone. The cone should be connected to the shaft journal via a non-releasable connection via a conical cone receiving means. According to a further embodiment, the tripod housing is provided via a cylindrical housing connection. In this case, the shaft journal, with a cylindrical projection, is held in the housing in a non-releasable connection.
From the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and subjoined claims, other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.